Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

CAMMIE

C hase wraps his arms around me and picks me up off the ground so my toes bump against his shins. “Hi, I missed you last night.”

“I missed you, too.” I kiss the side of his neck and inhale. Except I don’t get the usual whiff of aftershave. “Do you smell like buffalo sauce?”

“Probably. There were a lot of wings last night and I was in a rush getting out the door to you this morning.” He sets me on my feet, sniffs his sweatshirt, and shudders. “I need something healthy to balance out last night’s bad choices.”

“Did you go somewhere after wings?” I ask. A tiny twinge of unease makes my shoulders tight. I will not be an overbearing girlfriend. I will not let my own insecurities get the best of me.

“Nah, Brody and I came back to the dorms.” He laces our fingers and we head into the cafeteria. “Gage went out, though. I seriously hope he didn’t get super fucked up. We really need him at tonight’s game.”

“What position does he play again?” Tally gave me a crash course in hockey last night. She’s a wealth of knowledge about the sport.

“He’s an enforcer,” Chase explains .

“So defense, right? And you’re a forward?” I ask.

He smiles down at me. “Yeah, left wing.”

“And Brody? What position does he play?”

“He’s right wing, but he’ll probably be a center. He’s strong on the ice and has wicked speed.” Chase loads up a bowl with fresh fruit and yogurt and tops it with granola.

I grab the usual: a blueberry muffin. “How was practice last night?”

We stop at the coffee urns and both fill a cup. “Good. Great, actually. I scored a goal.”

“That’s awesome!” Scoring a goal is hard based on the little hockey I’ve watched.

“Thanks.” He beams.

We use our meal plan cards to pay for breakfast and find a table near the windows.

Chase spears a chunk of pineapple covered in yogurt. “Maybe you want to come to my game tonight?”

I accidentally drop my muffin. Thankfully it lands on my plate.

“Unless you’re busy with that creative writing submission. I know the due date is coming up,” he tacks on, but I don’t miss the disappointment already clouding his eyes.

I should be long finished with my submission, but I’m not, and tonight would be a great time to work on it. It could be another convenient excuse not to go. But Chase is my boyfriend and hockey is his passion. I don’t want to be an unsupportive girlfriend. And I can’t avoid running into his past hookups forever. “I can come to your game tonight.”

His whole face lights up. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’d love to see you play.”

I’m a ball of fucking nervous energy as I enter the arena. Alone. Tally is meeting me here, but she had a group study session that ran late, so she’ll be another twenty minutes. The game starts in ten. The teams are already on the ice, warming up. The arena is filling up with spectators. I don’t want to disappoint Chase by showing up late, but going in there by myself feels a lot like entering the lion’s den while wearing a raw meat suit.

Arwen wouldn’t back down from the catty girls .

I roll my shoulders back, exhale my anxiety, push through the doors, and inhale the sharp bite of rubberized floor mats and the fresh scent of ice. Music blasts through the sound system, echoing off the high ceilings. My breath puffs out in front of me as I scan the arena for unoccupied seats. I spot three several rows back from the ice in the middle, so I head for those.

Chase gave me a pom-pom toque boasting the university’s hockey team to wear. The seats are full of students, and loads of girls are in full makeup, wearing jerseys, team hoodies, toques, and scarves. Apparently, I need to invest in a team hoodie and all the other things if I want to appropriately represent my boyfriend.

I ask the girls at the end of the row if anyone is sitting in the middle. One girl gives me an appraising once-over. “Not that I know of.”

“Cool, thanks.” I mutter excuse me as I shimmy past them, to the three empty seats. I drop into the one in the middle and message Tally to let her know what row I’m in, then survey the ice, looking for Chase.

I spot LOVETT across a set of broad shoulders and the number 19 on the back passing a puck back and forth with STILES as they lap the rink. My stomach flips as they pass me. The buzzer sounds and the team skates to the bench, which is to the right of where I’m seated. A whole bunch of girls wearing team hoodies are congregated in the seats closest to the ice. Two girls are wearing jerseys. I imagine they had to get here pretty early to score those seats. The corresponding players bang their gloves on the plexiglass barrier, giving those girls a chin tip and a wink. They blow kisses.

Maybe those are their girlfriends. I make a mental note to show up earlier. And to learn more of the rules of the game so I know what’s going on.

Chase scans the group, maybe looking for me, his gaze lifting higher. I pull the toque on my head as his eyes pass over me a second time and then stop. My cheeks flame as his grin widens. I lift a tentative hand in a wave and he waves back.

“Shut them down tonight, Steele!” someone else shouts and Gage fist-pumps the air and sends a wink in their direction.

“Woohoo! I hope you score a goal tonight, Lovett!” a girl shouts from behind me.

“Show them how it’s done!” another girl yells.

I go rigid. I swear I know those voices. I pull my hood up and as covertly as possible, glance over my shoulder. I’m right. Barbie and Annabelle are in the row behind me, down a few seats to the left. They’re decked out in school gear, wearing their team spirit in fake tattoos on their cheeks. They’re surrounded by other girls, all pretty like my sister, all dressed in school colors, showing their support.

I might not love Barbie and Annabelle, but they know hockey, and they have a group of friends who share the same love for the sport. And here I am, wearing my usual LotR hoodie and a pom-pom beanie, feeling like a complete imposter. It doesn’t matter that I’m dating Chase, I’m still the weird girl who writes fanfic.

“I heard Lovett has a girlfriend,” another girl says.

“Yeah, he’s dating some weirdo on our floor, but she doesn’t come to his games. She probably doesn’t even watch hockey,” Barbie scoffs.

“Shh. I think maybe she’s in front of us,” Annabelle whispers.

“What? Where?” Barbie asks.

I sink down in my seat .

“She probably calls it sportsball and doesn’t even care about his position,” Barbie scoffs.

“I heard she’s obsessed with hobbits or something,” Annabelle adds.

“Do you mean hermits? I’d never even seen her before Chase made her into a somebody.”

Barbie’s voice rings out above me. “She’s a loser who doesn’t even come to parties because she’s always in her room or something. I don’t even know if she has friends.”

I could move. But then I’d draw more attention to myself. Which I don’t want. I wish Tally would get here so I’m not alone, feeling like I don’t belong here. Like I don’t fit with his friends or teammates.

If I pretend I don’t hear them, what message am I giving? That they can continue to shit all over me? Make fun of me because I don’t fit in with them?

“Hey, guys.” I turn and wave at them. “I didn’t see you at the hockey party last week. Probably because Barbie stole Mac’s jersey and posted pictures wearing it and got banned from his place. Feels like an exceptionally weird thing to do if you ask me.” Apparently that was why they were late-night sprinting out of his house the other week.

Tally, bless her well-timed heart, comes down the row saying excuse me and sorry to every person she passes. Her expression is one of concern.

“Tally! Hey!” Annabelle waves manically.

Tally waves and gives them a tight smile.

Barbie pales as I move my jacket for her.

Tally frowns as she takes in my face. She glances at Barbiebelle and the rest of their crew, who all look super uncomfortable, and drops into the seat next to me.

“What just happened?”

“I called out the mean girls.” My face feels like it’s on fire.

Tally’s lip curls. She shoots a glare over her shoulder. “Good for you. ”

They sink into their chairs.

Tally shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

“You’re a powerful ally, aren’t you?” I muse.

“In this realm, yes. Anywhere else, not really.”

“I don’t know about that.”

The game starts and we turn our attention to the ice.

Tally really knows the game, and she is loud about her feelings. She explains every play to me with genuine enthusiasm. She stands up often and chirps the refs. Hockey in real life is a hell of a lot different than hockey on TV. It’s exciting and fast-paced. Chase manages an assist in the second period, which Tally tells me is a really big deal because he’s a freshman and they don’t get a ton of ice time. We shout and clap, and he gives me a chin tip and a wink after he and Brody slam into each other as they switch places on the ice.

At the end of the game, Tally grabs my hand and pulls me out of the seat. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“To say hi to Chase before he goes into the locker room.”

I let her drag me through the crowd of people toward the gate where the team files off the ice. A couple of the other players stop to give girls wearing their jerseys kisses before they continue to the locker room. My stomach flips as Chase steps off the ice and removes his helmet. His hair is wet with sweat, his entire face glistens and beads drip down his temples.

I thought naked Chase was hot, but sweaty with exertion in his hockey gear Chase? My entire body approves. Anxiety hits me as his eyes meet mine. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. He steps to the side to allow Brody to pass. He waves as he passes.

“Hey.” Chase’s smile makes my knees weak.

“You were awesome out there. That was a great assist,” I say.

“Thanks, babe. I think having you here was good luck.” He pulls off his glove and tucks it under his arm as his tongue drags across his bottom lip. He strokes my cheek with one damp finger and presses his lips to mine. “Sorry I’m all sweaty.”

“It’s okay.”

“I won’t be long in the locker room. Will you wait?” He looks so hopeful.

“Of course.”

“’Kay, cool. See you soon.” He kisses me again, then clomps down the hall, glancing back at me once before he disappears.

“He’s so obsessed with you. I love it.” Tally links arms with me and we file out of the arena.

We stop in the bathroom and I apply some fresh gloss.

I recognize a few of the girls who were sitting in the same row as me and Tally. I brace myself for their wrath. One girl with red hair steps out. She has a heart-shaped face and freckles across the bridge of her nose. I’ve seen her behind the counter a few times at the school coffee shop.

She smiles shyly. “I like your sweatshirt.”

“Thanks.” It’s a personal favorite of mine.

“I’m Enid, by the way,” she says.

“I’m Cammie and this is Tally.”

“You work at the coffee shop on campus, right?” Tally asks.

“Yeah. I do.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say.

“You too. Both of you.” Her smile is soft and genuine. She worries her bottom lip, like she’s shoring up her courage. “It was kind of cool the way you stood up to the mean girls. They’re always talking smack about other people.”

“They definitely have a lot of opinions,” I agree.

“Maybe you’d like to sit together at the next game?”

I finish touching up my lip gloss. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

“For sure,” Tally agrees. I shove down the anxiety as we leave the safety of the bathroom to wait for Chase in the lobby. Enid says goodbye and joins another girl waiting for her by the door. I have no idea what the fallout will be for calling out Barbiebelle, but I can’t worry about it now .

Chase appears a few minutes later, fresh from the shower, wearing dress pants, a white button-down, and a tie. His hair is still wet and he looks totally fuckable. “Hey!” He wraps his arms around me, lifts me off my feet, and kisses my neck.

“Hi.” I run my hand down his chest. “You look good.”

“We always dress up for games.”

Brody and Gage appear behind him, followed by Mac.

“This is my friend Tally. Tally, this is Chase, and his friends Brody, Mac, and Gage.”

Brody’s head tips. “You know my brother, right?”

“Yeah, and Rix.”

“I’m Gage. You’re beautiful.” Gage holds out his hand.

Tally gives him a tight smile. “I have a boyfriend.”

I swear she’s only dating that guy so she can use this line without lying.

“I could be your boyfriend.”

“You’re too young for me.” Her blue eyes find mine. “I should go. I have dance practice in the morning. I’ll see you in English, though.”

“Do you need us to walk you back?” I ask.

“My boyfriend’s meeting me outside in like two.” Tally hugs me and says bye to the guys.

“How serious is she about the boyfriend?” Gage asks.

“Very,” I reply, even though I don’t believe that to be true.

“You’ll let me know if they break up,” Gage says.

“Sure.” There is no way in hell I would set Tally up with Gage. I just count my blessings that he doesn’t know who her dad is. Yet.

“Who’s up for food? I’m starving,” Gage asks.

Chase gives me a heated once-over. “You want to just head back to res? I can order something for delivery.”

“Don’t you want to celebrate the assist?” I ask.

He blinks at me. “Yeah. I do.”

I fight a smile.

Brody covers a snort-laugh. “I can bring you something back. I’ll send you a message when we get there, and if you’re timely in your response, I’ll put in a takeout order for you.” He claps Chase on the shoulder. “Nice work out there tonight. Have fun. Play safe.”

“Thanks, man.”

We head for the south entrance, which means we have to pass Barbie and Annabelle and some of their crew. They glare daggers at me. I ignore them.

Chase frowns in their direction. They all turn their backs. “Do you know what that’s about?”

“They were being rude during the game.”

“Rude how?” The doors slide open and we step out into the cold night.

I shrug. I don’t want to make this more of a thing. Or for Chase to turn around and confront them in a public place like the arena. He can’t fight my battles for me.

We make it twenty feet before he grabs my hand and comes to a stop. We’re in the middle of a wind tunnel. My hair whips around my face.

“Rude how, Cammie?” Chase asks, more insistent this time.

“They were being mean girls.”

His jaw tics. “What did they say?”

I sigh. “They called me a loser and said some generally not-nice things.” They seriously know how to hit where it hurts. It’s like they have a sixth sense for weaknesses and they dig right in.

“I’ve had enough of their crap.” He takes two long strides back toward the arena.

I rush around in front of him and put my hands on his chest. “Do not make me lay you out. Especially not on cement.”

His right eye twitches and his nostrils flare.

I arch a brow.

“Fuck, you’re hot.” He runs a rough hand through his hair. “It’s not cool that they were chirping you.”

“I know. And I dealt with it. You can’t fight my battles for me, Chase. ”

“People can be such assholes, though.”

“Agreed. But you going in there and sticking up for me won’t change anything.” I pat his chest. “My insecurities are mine, Chase. Only I can deal with them.”

He captures my hand and kisses the palm. “I’m really fucking proud of you.”

“I am pretty proud of me, too.”

He pulls me into him and folds me in his arms. “Let’s go home and celebrate.”

“With sex, right? That’s what you mean?”

“Yes, Cammie. That’s exactly what I mean.”